Salah Announces Departure at Season's End: Nine-Year Liverpool Career Comes to a Close, the "Pharaoh Era" Officially Ends

Written by Han Bing "Unfortunately, this day has finally arrived." On March 24, Salah released a video on his social media account, announcing his departure as a free agent at the end of the season, marking a sorrowful conclusion to his nine-season journey with Liverpool. The brief two-minute video cannot fully capture everything Salah has brought to Liverpool. Despite nearly two years of turbulence, his departure is regrettable yet not unexpected, but the moment the news was announced still evoked countless memories. Salah's farewell concludes Liverpool's "Pharaoh Era," as a legendary figure bows out from the Premier League stage.

The achievements Salah attained over his nine seasons are sufficient to place him in Liverpool's Hall of Fame. With 189 goals and 92 assists in 310 Premier League appearances, he is the player with the most goal contributions for a single club in Premier League history (281); his 92 assists tie him with Steven Gerrard for the most in club history, and his 53 goals in European competitions are also a club record; across all competitions, he scored 255 goals for Liverpool, ranking third in club history behind Roger Hunt (285) and Ian Rush (346); he won the Premier League Golden Boot four times, tying Thierry Henry of Arsenal for the most; he was named Premier League Player of the Month seven times, tying Sergio Agüero and Harry Kane for the most; he was voted the Players' Association Player of the Season three times, being the first player in the award's history to achieve this, and also won the Journalists' Association Player of the Season award three times; for Liverpool fans, Salah being the first Premier League player to score a hat-trick at Old Trafford is another great achievement worthy of listing.

Additionally, the eight trophies he helped Liverpool win restored the club to the pinnacle of English and European football. Any Liverpool player recognized as a legend in the club's history must possess a Champions League winner's medal, and Salah achieved this. Along with two Premier League titles, he will forever be remembered as one of the greatest players of the Klopp era. British media hailed Salah as one of the rare talents during the Messi-Ronaldo era who could approach the heights of those two superstars. He is also, to date, the greatest African player in the Premier League.

Undoubtedly, for Liverpool, a club that particularly cherishes its legends, there will be a series of official events at season's end to make Salah's departure a sorrowful yet grateful ceremony, akin to those for Shankly, Dalglish, and Klopp. However, Salah voluntarily relinquished his final season's salary exceeding £25 million and performance-linked bonuses to secure a free-agent departure, which is somewhat lamentable. Rumors about his departure have persisted over the past two years; Liverpool rejected a £150 million offer from Al-Ittihad in summer 2023 to keep Salah, and last year extended his contract for two years with a weekly wage of £500,000.

But the unfortunate passing of Salah's close friend Diogo Jota, combined with his difficulties at the club, altered Salah's fate. At the end of last year, after being benched for three consecutive matches, Salah complained that the club had not kept its promises, publicly "criticizing" the club for betraying him, hinting that the match against Brighton at year's end might be his farewell. Although he did not leave after the Africa Cup of Nations, Liverpool fans had already prepared themselves mentally for Salah's farewell.

For Salah, who will turn 34 in June, this has been arguably the most challenging season of his Liverpool era. British media believe this might be the best timing for Salah's farewell. In his farewell video, Salah expressed deep emotion and sincere gratitude to Liverpool and its fans: "I never imagined that this club, this city, and its people would become so deeply ingrained in my life. Liverpool is not just a football club; it is a passion, a history, a spirit I cannot explain in words. Leaving is always difficult. You have given me the best times of my life. I will always be one of you."

Salah regards Liverpool as the most important part of his life: "I will always be one of you; this club will always be home for me and my family. Thank you for everything you have done. Because of you, I will never be alone. Leaving is always difficult; you have given me the best times of my life."

Liverpool's "Pharaoh Era" has officially entered a countdown of less than two months, but Salah's career as the "Arab Football King" will continue. Although his agent, Rami Abbas, remains silent about Salah's future, Saudi media has revealed that the Saudi Public Investment Fund has prepared a €100 million annual salary offer for Salah, with the Egyptian superstar being the top target for Saudi league recruitment this summer. Saudi hopes Salah will become the new superstar ambassador for the league, while Liverpool's American ownership background also makes the North American Major League Soccer a possible destination for Salah.

Regardless of Salah's ultimate destination, this Pharaoh legend will be celebrated by Liverpool people for generations.